The Sabbath is certainly more important. The idea of the Sabbath is the great idea.

Yom Kippur is just an ordinary day of rituals that all sorts of fools think actually have some effect.

Yom Kippur was invented to fill some drak-like need. The Sabbath was meant to fight the need for drak.

Michi, that's indeed what I thought. I heard this insight in the past from someone I respect (Uri Sherki), though it may be that he too qualified it in the way you hinted at here. I simply don't remember.

For my own part, I'm inclined to think that the philosophical principle behind the "institution of the Sabbath" fits the spirit of Judaism better than Yom Kippur does. That's of course only speculation (though as is known, speculations aren't necessarily mistaken).

Still, it's obvious that your answer and my speculations are like the dust of the earth compared to the words above from our latest decisor. We have both been privileged.

An interesting point of view, Rabbi Decisor.

What fits the spirit of Judaism, even if that is indeed true, is not a criterion for importance. It's possible that the Torah wants one day on which we depart from the usual spirit of Judaism, and that could be of supreme importance.
Think about it: what fits the spirit of Judaism more, weekdays or the Sabbath? And as the poet said: then why isn't every day a weekday?

Why is "fits the spirit of Judaism" not a criterion for importance? I can understand if you say it's not the only criterion; I can understand if you say it's not a Torah criterion. But not a criterion at all?
As for your question of what's more important, the Sabbath day or the weekdays, I actually do have an answer (or the beginning of one…) but that too is based on my own speculation (and it still may be correct).

Now I remembered something else I heard from Sherki, apropos your question about weekdays and the Sabbath. Sherki spoke about the "holiest" event, when the High Priest enters the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur. He argued—though maybe here too he qualified his claim—that the most important part of this ritual is not the entry inside but the exit back out. His explanation, if I remember correctly, was also "in the spirit of Judaism": our goal is not a departure from the everyday into the supernatural and holy, but rather an "elevation" of the everyday (expressed in spreading holiness from inside outward, into the world).

It sounds a bit in the style of Rav Kook, maybe also a bit like a nice homiletic line, but as I said, that doesn't really matter. What matters is whether it fits Judaism or not. And that's where the discussion begins.

That was exactly my point about the Sabbath and the weekdays.
I didn't write that it's irrelevant, only that it's not the criterion.

Who said anything about relevance?
At any rate, I didn't understand you. If a person wants to understand some cultural phenomenon in depth, he obviously has to learn to distinguish between what is primary and what is secondary within it—that is, to try to extract the criteria that create that distinction. That's what stood behind my question.

Presumably you too have criteria for making such a distinction between what is more important and less important in Judaism. So you could try applying them to my question.

But even the Sabbath pales in comparison to other things. More important are:

{9} Had the Lord of Hosts not left us a small remnant, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah. {10} Hear the word of the Lord, rulers of Sodom; give ear to the Torah of our God, people of Gomorrah. {11} "What need have I of all your many sacrifices?" says the Lord. "I am sated with burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; and in the blood of bulls, lambs, and he-goats I have no desire. {12} When you come to appear before Me, who asked this of you, this trampling of My courts? {13} Stop bringing worthless offerings; incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and Sabbath, proclaiming convocation—I cannot endure iniquity together with solemn assembly. {14} Your new moons and your appointed times My soul hates; they have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. {15} And when you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; even if you multiply prayer, I will not hear—your hands are full of blood. {16} Wash yourselves, purify yourselves, remove the evil of your deeds from before My eyes, cease doing evil. {17} Learn to do good; seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the orphan, plead for the widow. {18} Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall become white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. {19} If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land. {20} But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken."